Devices such as automotive vehicles, pneumatic machines and hydraulic machines utilize swivel fittings for connecting hoses and tubes between various components of these vehicles and machines. Thus, every year tens of millions of swivel connections are fabricated. As with any other component, it is advantageous to reduce cost, weight and size wherever possible, and it is further advantageous even in machines to improve esthetics to enhance the sale ability of the machines.
It is, of course, also necessary to maintain a reliability of swivel connections while reducing cost, size and weight, while improving appearance. Maintaining and enhancing the reliability involves not only providing a connection which is initially reliable so that the connection passes quality control, but also a connection which remain reliable over the life of the vehicle or machine with which it is used. Exemplary of a market which is of interest with respect to swivel fittings is the market for truck air brakes, trailer air brakes, and other light air/pneumatic systems that require a fitting to turn during installation. Such fittings must have diameters large enough to meet customer specifications and federal regulations while having an external diameter and axial extent which are preferably minimized.